31 October 2013

Glimpses #6

I appologize for the radio silence; I have moved into my apartment, but there's no internet (nor 3g service…), so I'm pretty much on my own, deserted island. Albeit a really beautiful one. It seems Germans are not the fastest in the internet department, so it looks like I will have to write my BA assignment at cafés around in the city. Huge bummer and an annoying stress factor. So here's a little of what I've been up to lately:

Last week, I met Jessica of Best Wishes From Berlin fame. She took my picture for the interview, and we had coffee and a good talk at Silo. The temperatures were high (20 degrees!) so it was a strange mix of fall and summer, and we enjoyed it outside.

I met Jamin for a coffee at Bully's Bakery. The sun was shining, and we had 10 months to catch up on.

And of course there's the apartment. It's very surreal to live there; I keep waiting for someone else to come home, but it's just me. I am enjoying unpacking; all my things have been tucked away in a storage room since August last year, so it's nice to rediscover things, books, and clothes. And I really enjoy making this place my own.

This week, I met Shirin for coffee at Tischendorf. We talked about Canada, Berlin and old times while the sun disappeared outside.

I'm trawling the streets for good cafés to work at as I really have to do my assignment for school (damn internet companies in Berlin!). Yesterday was k-fetisch near my home, today is Silo in Friedrichshain with Swedes Hanna and Johanna. It's great to have company.

AA nice:) know the feeling, finished school myself in the spring of 2013. I'm curious, how it's like living and making a living as a foreign journalist in Berlin? I am myself a journalist by experience and education but I am very new to this occupation and eager to find my own "thing" and hopefully be able to live abroad myself (I currently live in Sweden). So, are you working in german, danish or english? What fields are you covering etc?

Sandra: As I am still writing my last assignment and getting school money from DK, I have yet to be completely on my own with the freelance thing. I am a bit terrified to see if it will work out, but I just have to try and see. I think it will be hard, it seems like all creative minds are struggling here, but I also think it's the same everywhere in the world. I work in Danish and English, and eventually I'll learn German, but I need some money first to make that happen :) And my preferred field of journalism is culture. So just like everybody else, I guess :) About the moving abroad, you should just do it. It's not as frightening as people think, and if you don't like it, you can always move back!

Thank you for your answers! It's really nice to see that people try even though making it is not for certain or an easy thing to do! If everything goes well I'll at least spend next fall in Berlin:) Good luck with everything and keep up with your blog, I really enjoy it!

Sandra: I definitely think people should try despite insecurities or difficulties. That only makes success even sweeter. Hope you get to Berlin next fall :) And thanks for your sweet words, glad you're gonna stick around this site.